H CH3 H CH3 la, RH 2, ad= NorC lb, R CH3 intrinsic inotropic potency than milrinone and also improved duration of action after oral administration to conscious dogs. Moreover, la and lb and related analogues had barely any effect on heart rate. In order to define the individual structural features that influence this favorable hemodynamic profile, a series of B- methyl-'L (lH)-